come, when you will, not merely from your neighbours, friends, and relatives, but from others, whom you may often meet. My prayer is, that you may not be overcome-that you may not yield to those temptations and enticements;-and to prove the sincerity of my prayer, I join to it my earnest endeavour to guard you against such arts, censures, and insinuations. I write you down many of my articles of faith, so that you may have them by you, and so that you may know when others make wrong statements, and bring false accusations.

I believe the Bible, i. e. the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, to be a record of the will, purposes, and dispensations of God to man. I take this precious volume to be my guide in faith and duty. I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth -the moral Governor of the universe. I believe that he possesses all those natural and moral attributes and perfections, which render him worthy of all that homage, love, and obedience, which he requires of his creatures. I believe in his power wisdom and goodness-in his truth, holiness and righteousness-in his providence, bounty and grace; and in the influences of his holy spirit. I believe that there is but one God, who is the first cause, the author and source of all things.

I believe that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ, that should come into the world, that glorious person fore-, told by Moses and the prophets. I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God-the Saviour-the Mediator between God and man. I believe that he did no sinthat never man spake like him-that God gave not the spirit by measure unto him—that the Father sanctified and sent him into the world that he anointed him with the holy spirit and with power, and that Jesus Christ went about doing good. I believe that God was with him in all his labours, instructions, and sufferings. I believe that Christ was holy, harmless, and undefiled—that the doctrines he taught are true-that his precepts are pure and just that his miracles are proof of his divine mission that his prophecies have been and will be fulfilled that he always did those things which pleased the Father-that he had such a knowledge of the Father, such communications from him, and such communion with him, that he might say, "I and my Father are one,' and he that hath seen me hath seen the Father.' I believe that Jesus Christ is, except the Father, the most

glorious being of whom we have knowledge-worthy to be honoured, loved, trusted, and obeyed-that he is the way and the truth and the life, the resurrection and the life, the light of the world-that he has the words of eternal life-and that all who truly believe in, love, and follow him, shall have everlasting life. I believe that Jesus Christ was betrayed, condemned, scourged, crucified, dead and buried that the third day he arose from the dead-that he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God. I believe that all our prayers should be offered to the Father in the name of Christ -that we should possess his mind and spirit, and imitate his example. I believe that Christ came into the world to redeem, to save sinners to reconcile us to God, and that through him we are to look to God for pardon, eternal life, and joy.

I believe in the agency, operation, and influences of God's holy spirit-in regeneration-conversion-change of heart and experimental religion; that we must be born of the spirit from above-of God-and of the word of God.

I believe that we are born innocent and free, but into a world full of temptations and trials; and that, in order to a holy and virtuous life, we need the light of God's word, and the influences of his spirit, which are to be sought by prayer to the Father in the name of his Son.

I believe that we are saved by grace, through faith, and that it is the gift of God. I believe that goodness consists in being good, and doing good-that religion consists in loving God with all the heart, soul, strength, and mind, and our neighbour as ourselves; and that every one is our neighbour. I believe that faith without works is dead-and that faith, if it work not by love, is of no avail to our salvation. I believe that he, who hath a good hope, purifieth himself—and that charity is greater than either faith or hope. I believe that virtue and piety are included in living a sober, righteous, and godly life that the children of God should be imitators of him in all his imitable perfections-that the friends and followers of Christ should possess his temper and dispositions, and should testify their love to him by their resemblance to his character, and their obedience to his commands. I believe that one part of the old man, which we are to put off, is lying-that they, who are created anew in Christ Jesus, are created anew unto good works

that they, who are born of the spirit, should bring forth the fruit of the spirit-that they should grow in grace and in christian knowledge. I believe in vital piety, heart religion, evangelical religion; and that the true and faithful followers of Christ possess it. I believe that he that doeth righteousness is righteous; and that the pious soul enjoys communion with his Father and Saviour here on earth, and will dwell with them in heaven for ever. I believe that the more we love our God and Redeemer, the more we shall love our fellow men, and that love worketh no ill to his neighbour. I believe that true repentance consists not only in remorse of conscience and sorrow of heart, but also in amendment of life-in ceasing to do evil, and learning to do well. I believe in the resurrection of the dead, both of the just and of the unjust-and that all shall be judged according to their works; that the wicked will be miserable, and the righteous happy.

I believe in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; and yet I believe that the doctrine of the Trinity, as taught in the Athanasian and Nicene creeds, in the Book of Common Prayer, and in the Assembly's catechism, is not taught in the Bible. I believe that neither the Pope of Rome, nor Luther, nor Calvin, nor Hopkins, had any divine authority for framing articles of faith for their fellow-men. I believe that the doctrines of election, reprobation, and total depravity, as taught by Calvin, and many others, are not taught in the Scriptures; and that one may be a Christian and be saved, without being either a Calvinist or a Trinitarian. I believe there have been, and are still, pious and devout persons among the Universalists, Quakers, Arminians, Arians, Socinians, Unitarians, Swedenborgians, and Roman Catholics. I believe that there were many real Christians before Calvin was born; and that it is our duty to acknowledge no other master but Christ. I believe that to slander and defame those who differ from us in opinion, is no sure sign that we are born of God.

In the parable of the Pharisee and the publican, I believe, that the publican gave more evidence of humility than the Pharisee. I believe that, by a new creature, Paul means a better creature-a good creature. I believe that Jesus Christ came to save men from their sins, not in them, and that the object and tendency of his gospel are, to promote peace and good-will on earth, as

well as to prepare men for glory in heaven. I believe that pious frauds should not be countenanced by the friends of Zion; and that the end does not, in the sight of God, sanctify the means. I believe that Jesus Christ never gave to any of his followers, power and command to torture and murder those who could not understand the Scriptures just as others did. I believe that he never encouraged the use of oppression, injustice, artifice, deceit, and guile, to build up his cause in the world.

I believe that there has been, in all ages, a deplorable want of charity, and much unholy zeal, among Christians; and that some of them, who were burnt as heretics, were better men than those who tied them to the stake, and kindled the devouring fire around them. I believe that pride, envy, ambition, and earthly-mindedness, have often assumed the mask of religion, and that the works of the flesh have often been incorporated with the fruit of the spirit. I believe that imagination and fancy have often been mistaken for a work of grace; and the promptings of some distempered passions, for divine influence. I believe that God is merciful to forgive, not only sins, when repented of, but errors also, when involuntary. I believe that the Spaniards took wrong measures to convert the natives of South America to the Christian faith; and that wrong measures are still often resorted to and pursued, to increase the number and power of a party. I believe that carnal weapons have often been used in the defence and spread of the most mysterious opinions. I believe that many of those who are opposed to Unitarians, have no definite and distinct views of their doctrines, nor of the gospel reasons which they can bring for them. I believe that the time is coming when no holy and good being in the universe will acknowledge the doctrine of the Trinity, as taught in the Assembly's catechism. I believe that humility and love should distinguish the followers of the Prince of peace. I believe that when Paul said, all that live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution, he did not intend that it should ever be understood, that all who live godly in Christ Jesus should persecute those whom they thought in an error. I believe that one may be intemperate, though he drink nothing but water; and proud and extravagant, though he wear tattered and coarse garments. I believe that avarice, covetousness, lying and uncharitableness, are as great sins as

drunkenness that no Christian, and no man, should be guilty of either of them. I believe that some of those who have been anathematized on earth, as damnable heretics, will be acknowledged by Jesus Christ as his disciples, and admitted into the kingdom of heaven. I believe that there have been good men belonging to different denominations; and that those who are the most forward to write curses on their brethren's creeds, are not always the most meek and lowly, nor the most amiable and unblemished. I believe that one sign of our loving God is, that we keep his commandments. I believe that much of the religion of the present day, consists in religious hatred and warfare; and that a love of money, of distinction, of contention, and of power, in many, is greater than their love of either the social or spiritual welfare of their fellow-men. I believe that the day is coming, when Christianity will exert a mightier influence on mankind than it ever has yet.

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Instead of proceeding to give you any more articles my faith, I will now give you some directions for forming articles of faith for yourselves, and for growing in virtue and piety.

Read the Scriptures frequently and daily. Search them seriously and prayerfully. There would not be so much error and delusion in the world, if this sacred volume were more diligently studied. If you compare scripture with scripture, you will be able to understand a great many passages, which now are dark to you. Read the historical books in course; and as large portions as you conveniently can, at a time; and endeavour to impress on your minds the things recorded.

And as you read, inquire, what does this mean? What doctrine is here taught? What instruction does this event afford? To what uses can I apply this passage? Observe what doctrines you are required to believe what duties to perform-what affections to cherish, in order to please God, to honour and follow Christ, and to inherit eternal life. Read the preceptive and devotional books often, to enliven your conscience and your moral powers, and to excite your pious feelings. Pay great attention to the New Testament, and to what the Saviour testifies concerning himself. He tells you how you ought to pray, believe, and behave. Neither he nor his apostles tell you that you must believe in the